As previously reported, Facebook has begun to roll out the latest Oculus Quest firmware version 15, which includes a new and improved user interface. We got our hands on the update and it’s definitely a step up from the old UI, with many new and welcome changes.
While the V15 update started rolling out to users, the redesigned UI is not enabled by default. It’s still considered an experimental feature, so if you want to try it out you’ll have to go to the experimental features menu in the Quest settings and turn it on. You’ll also be able to enable multiple browser windows in Oculus Browser in the same menu, which is another feature rolling out with V15. Enabling either feature will require you to restart your Quest before the changes take place.
As you can see in the embedded video, the new UI centers around a smaller window that sits closer to you than the old large menu. The old window style is still hanging in the back, but now only serves as a place to browse through the Home menu and the Oculus Store. Features like the Library and Settings menus have all been moved to the new quick access menu.
There’s also a quick access area for common settings, including volume, Wi-Fi, screen brightness and more — a very handy addition.
As you can see in the video, the new Oculus Home landing screen has an area for new high scores as well — allowing you to challenge the score of a friend in a certain game. All I could see on there was Beat Saber at the moment, but I’m sure more games will add support in the future.
Voice commands are also included in the update, and a prompt allowed me to try the feature out. However, it doesn’t seem to be working just yet. The Quest told me I could say things like ‘Play Beat Saber’ when using voice commands, but it never worked in practice. The Quest would be able to spell out what I said (so it was understanding me correctly) but it would not execute the action and claimed to not understand. Maybe the voice commands aren’t quite ready just yet — these are all experimental features, after all.
The V15 update also adds support for multiple Oculus Browsers windows open at once, which you can also see in the embedded video. It’s a neat little feature and while I can’t see myself using it, I’m sure someone out there will find a use for the functionality.
What do you think of the new Oculus Quest UI? Have you tried it out yourself yet? Let us know in the comments below.
